China FDC on "The 880th Anniversary of the Birth of Zhu Xi"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

China


The 880th Anniversary of the Birth of Zhu Xi

Date of Issue : 22 October 2010

2-1 : Portrait of Zhu Xi
2-2 : Zhu Xi Propagating Teachings

Zhu Xi (朱熹, 1130 - 1200), whose family originated in Wuyuan of Hui Prefectture (in present-day Jiangxi Province), was born in Youxi of Jian Prefecture (in present-day fujian Province). Known by his courtesy name Yuanhui and alias Hui'an, he was a philosopher, thinker, educator as well as a leading figure of the most influential Neo-Confucian school in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). He read profusely, wrote extensive commentaries on classic works, and contributed to Confucian classics, history, literature and musical temperament. His school of philosophy was adopted as the official ideology in China's Yuan (1206 - 1368), Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) dynasties, and exerted a major influence on the world's cultural history. He established a theoretical system by developing the Neo-Confucian tradition of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, and synthesizing the ideas of the School of Principle. This system was known later as Cheng-Zhu School of Principle. Zhu Xi devoted himself to education for over 50 years, running academies, and cultivating scholars. He was a prolific writer. His works mainly included "Collected Annotations to the Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books" and "The Original Meaning of the Book of Changes".